Russia's Defense Ministry said Wednesday that its forces captured two villages in eastern and northeastern Ukraine as the war nears its third anniversary with both sides seeking to gain ground ahead of possible peace talks Moscow said its troops seized the village of Novomlynsk in the northeastern Kharkiv region where Russian forces have crossed the Oskil River sits along a front line where Russian troops have recently gained ground after establishing a bridgehead The Russian military also said its forces captured Baranivka an area where Moscow's troops have been advancing for months Russia has claimed near-daily gains in eastern Ukraine as its war stretches into its third year this month Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent." These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help please support us monthly starting from just $2 and every contribution makes a significant impact independent journalism in the face of repression Russia on Wednesday claimed that its forces had taken control of two more settlements in its ongoing offensive in eastern Ukraine A Russian Defense Ministry statement claimed that its forces captured the village of Novomlynsk located about 21 kilometers (13 miles) northeast of the city of Kupiansk a major front in Moscow's offensive in the northeastern Kharkiv region The statement also claimed the capture of the village of Baranivka located about 26 km (16.1 mi) east of the city of Pokrovsk a key front in Moscow's offensive in the Donetsk region Russia has frequently claimed territorial gains in recent months where fighting has intensified around Pokrovsk The city serves as a critical logistics hub for Ukraine's military in the region Ukrainian authorities have not yet commented on Russia's claim and independent verification of the claim is difficult due to the war which will be three years old later this month The Russian army has intensified its offensive on two fronts. In the Siversk direction, Ukrainian Armed Forces fortifications in Bilohorivka were attacked, the Khortytsia Operational-Strategic Group of Troops reports. Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions near Nadiia Ukrainian fortifications in Bilohorivka came under assault Measures are being taken to prevent further deterioration of the tactical situation According to the General Staff, there were 192 combat clashes along the frontline on January 8. The enemy carried out the highest number of attacks in the Kursk region LAFC today announced that the club has acquired Ukrainian defender Artem Smolyakov from Polissya Zhytomyr of the Ukrainian Premier League Smolyakov is signed with the Black & Gold through 2028 He joins LAFC as part of Major League Soccer’s U22 Initiative and will occupy an international roster spot pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa “Artem is a highly regarded top young fullback who brings extensive experience to LAFC at a young age,” LAFC Co-President & General Manager John Thorrington said “We are excited to add a player with his capabilities and potential to our club as we continue to challenge for trophies across all competitions.” joins LAFC after a season and a half with Ukrainian Premier League team Polissya Zhytomyr where he made over 40 appearances across all competitions including domestic cup and UEFA Cup qualifying matches Ukraine native initially broke through the youth ranks of FC Dnipro before turning professional with FC Inhulets Petrove and making his debut against Ukrainian powerhouse Shakhtar Donetsk in 2021 Smolyakov earned his first cap with Ukraine’s U-21 team in 2023 and has since gone on to make eight more appearances for his country at the U-21 level he helped Ukraine qualify for the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship which will be held in Slovakia this summer (June 11-28) TRANSACTION: LAFC signs defender Artem Smolyakov to a two-year contract through 2028 He will occupy an International and U-22 Initiative Roster Slot Secure tickets to see the stars of LAFC for the 2025 season and opportunities to get involved in the community As of 4:00 PM on April 5 (Kyiv time), 112 combat engagements were registered in the frontline since the beginning of the day. More than a third of them occurred in the Pokrovsk direction alone, reports the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces artillery shelling from Russian territory affected the following areas: Russian aviation carried out airstrikes with guided bombs on the settlements of Petrushivka Ukrainian units repelled one enemy attack toward Kamianka Airstrikes targeted Kozacha Lopan and Slatyne the enemy launched five active attacks on Ukrainian positions in the areas of Petropavlivka Ukrainian forces successfully repelled three enemy assaults Russian forces carried out 16 attacks on Ukrainian positions in the areas of Novoyehorivka Ukrainian defenders repelled two enemy attacks The fighting took place near Bilohorivka and Verkhniokamianske Ukrainian forces repelled three enemy attacks in the areas of Chasiv Yar and Hryhorivka Russian forces attempted to push Ukrainian units from their positions in the areas of Kurdiumivka Ukrainian forces repelled nine Russian assaults the enemy has made 46 attempts to push Ukrainian defenders from their positions in the areas of Kotliarivka Ukrainian forces have repelled 39 of these attacks Ukrainian forces have repelled four Russian attacks in the areas of Rozlyv and Burlatske One attempt to storm Ukrainian positions has already been stopped the enemy carried out an airstrike on the settlement of Komyshuvakha Ukrainian units repelled an attack in the area of Rivnopillia Ukrainian defenders successfully stopped four enemy attacks near Stepove and towards Mala Tokmachka and Novoandriivka Ukrainian defenders repelled six enemy attacks The enemy also carried out 195 artillery strikes on Ukrainian positions and settlements including ten from multiple launch rocket systems and six airstrikes the enemy did not conduct active offensive operations As a reminder, over the last 24 hours, from April 4 to 5, Russian forces lost 1,390 soldiers on the frontline Ukrainian forces also destroyed 67 artillery systems As of 16:00 on December 22, 117 combat engagements took place in the frontline since the beginning of the day. The Ukrainian defense forces continue to disrupt the enemy's plans and inflict significant losses, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Border settlements suffered from shelling from the territory of Russia Bratenytsia were shelled by enemy artillery the enemy has been conducting offensive actions in the areas of Hoptivka the enemy carried out six assault actions near Kucherivka the invading army attacked 23 times near the settlements of Zelenyi Hai Hryhorivka and in the direction of Druzheliubivka the enemy attacked our units four times in the areas of Bilohorivka Ukrainian defense forces repelled two Russian attacks near Chasiv Yar and Stupochky in the Kramatorsk direction the enemy attacked four times near the towns of Toretsk and Druzhba the Russian troops have made 17 attempts to push our defenders from their positions near the towns of Sukha Balka The defense forces are holding back the enemy's offensive and repelled 13 attacks the enemy attacked nine times near the localities of Sontsivka the Russian military attacked the positions of our troops 23 times near Novosilka seven of the engagements are still ongoing the enemy attacked once in the direction of Novoandriivka In the operational zone in the Kursk region Ukrainian Defense Forces units repelled 10 attacks by Russian invaders over the course of the day There were no significant changes in the situation in other frontline areas Over the past 24 hours, from December 21 to December 22, Russia lost 1,820 soldiers in the fighting at the front since the beginning of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine the Russian army's losses have exceeded 774,000 soldiers In the past 24 hours, on January 4, 179 combat clashes occurred on the frontlines in Ukraine. The occupiers continue to focus their efforts on the Pokrovsk direction, according to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces Ukrainian defenders stopped 45 enemy offensive actions," the report states The Russians have continued attempts to storm the areas of Myrne 179 combat clashes were recorded in the past 24 hours two enemy attacks occurred near the settlements of Starytsia and Vovchansk with the enemy also actively using bomber aircraft four attacks by the occupiers were repelled Defense forces resisted enemy assaults near Zahryzove and Petropavlivka the Ukrainian Armed Forces repelled nine attacks in the areas of Chasiv Yar the enemy carried out 11 attacks near Toretsk the Defense Forces repelled 28 enemy assaults The enemy also carried out airstrikes on settlements The main enemy efforts were focused on areas near Sribne the enemy conducted 17 assaults on Ukrainian positions near Dachne and Yantarne Ukrainian defenders successfully repelled an attempt by the enemy to advance near Novodanylivka Russian invaders attacked positions three times but faced tough resistance and suffered losses near the Zabich and Kozatsky islands the enemy launched 33 assaults on positions the enemy did not carry out any active operations no signs of enemy offensive groupings were detected Along the border with Chernihiv and Sumy regions the enemy from Russian territory actively used artillery and aviation to target Ukrainian settlements On January 4, Russia’s losses amounted to 1,730 military personnel Ukrainian forces also destroyed seven tanks missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces struck two locations where enemy personnel As of 4:00 PM on March 15 (Kyiv time), 81 combat engagements were recorded in the frontline since the beginning of the day. In particular, Russians made 21 attempts to assault in the Pokrovsk direction, reports the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. artillery and mortar fire from the enemy affected communities in the Chernihiv and Sumy regions Russian forces are trying to break through Ukrainian defenses near Zahryzove the enemy launched ten attacks on Ukrainian positions near Balka Zhuravka Ukrainian defenders repelled one enemy assault near Verkhniokamianske Ukrainian defenders repelled the enemy's attempt to advance near Orikhovo-Vasylivka Ukrainian forces repelled eight Russian assaults in Toretsk and Druzhba Russian forces launched 21 attempts to push back Ukrainian defenders from their positions in the areas of the settlements of Sukha Balka Ukrainian forces are holding back the pressure the enemy made seven attempts to break through Ukrainian defenses near the settlement of Rozlyv The enemy also used unguided aviation missiles to strike Huliaipole Russian forces made four unsuccessful attempts to attack Ukrainian positions there have been 11 clashes since the beginning of the day and conducted 150 artillery strikes on the positions of our troops and settlements As a reminder, over the past 24 hours, from March 14 to March 15, Russian losses on the frontline amounted to 1,180 soldiers The Armed Forces of Ukraine also destroyed 28 artillery systems Over the past day, December 31, Russian forces attacked nearly 200 times on the front lines in Ukraine. The majority of enemy assaults were recorded in the Pokrovsk direction, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. 191 combat clashes were recorded in the past day," the statement says the Armed Forces of Ukraine halted 57 assault and offensive actions by the aggressor near the settlements of Zelene Pole one enemy attack occurred in the Kharkiv direction near the settlement of Vovchansk Russian forces launched seven attacks in the Kupiansk direction Ukraine's defense forces repelled assaults near Lozova the Russian army launched eight assault actions attempting to displace Ukraine's Armed Forces from positions near Bilohorivka and Hryhorivka in the Siversk direction but failed Thirty-two assault actions took place in the Kramatorsk direction in areas near Chasiv Yar the enemy carried out 13 attacks near Shcherbynivka Ukraine's defense forces repelled 20 enemy assaults The enemy's primary offensive efforts were concentrated near the settlements of Petropavlivka Russian forces launched 11 assaults on Ukrainian positions near Kostyantynopolske the enemy did not conduct active operations the Russian army made three unsuccessful attempts to push the Ukrainian defenders from their positions Russian occupiers attacked Ukrainian positions three times the Ukrainian military repelled 13 enemy attacks in the past day Russian troops also launched 373 artillery strikes no signs of the formation of enemy offensive groups were detected On the border with Chernihiv and Sumy regions Russian forces used artillery from Russian territory to target areas near Ukrainian settlements Russian losses in Ukraine amounted to 1,250 military personnel on December 31 Ukrainian forces also eliminated four enemy tanks and artillery of Ukraine's defense forces struck eight areas of enemy personnel concentration As of 10:00 p.m. Kyiv time on January 13, there have been 155 combat encounters on the front lines. The situation in the Pokrovsk and Kursk directions remains tense, with the enemy concentrating its main offensive efforts there, reports the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. the Russian army deployed 684 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,730 shellings of Ukrainian military positions and civilian areas the Russian army launched 74 attacks on our positions in the areas of the settlements Baranivka today the Russian army in the Pokrovsk direction lost 218 servicemen killed and wounded Our forces destroyed two units of enemy vehicles and a motorcycle Ukrainian defenders also inflicted significant damage to a multiple rocket launcher system and a cannon," the report stated the Ukrainian Defense Forces continue operations in the Kursk region where our troops successfully repelled 11 enemy attacks Russian forces launched two assaults on the positions of our units near Vovchansk The enemy attacked our positions twice in the Kupiansk direction near the settlements of Lozova and Dvorichna Russian forces attacked Ukrainian defenders 15 times today in the areas of the settlements Novoserhiivka Our defenders repelled four enemy assaults in the Bilohorivka area in the Siversk direction Ukrainian units repelled eleven enemy attacks in the Kramatorsk direction where the Russian army attempted to advance in the areas of Chasiv Yar and Stupochky Three combat engagements are currently ongoing our military repelled 16 enemy attacks in the areas of Bila Hora Thirteen attacks were stopped by the Defense Forces The enemy unsuccessfully attempted to break through near the settlements of Rozlyv On January 12, there were 160 combat engagements recorded on the front lines The most attacks were also in the Pokrovsk direction 152 combat engagements have taken place on the frontlines since the beginning of the day according to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine communities in Sumy and Chernihiv regions suffered from enemy artillery and mortar fire the enemy is attempting to exert pressure on Ukrainian units near Vysoka Yaruha the enemy launched nine assaults on Ukrainian positions Baranivka and Shopyne suffered airstrikes using glide bombs the enemy assaulted Ukrainian positions four times near Zagryzove and Lozova Ukrainian forces continue to hold their defenses firmly the occupiers launched seven attacks on Ukrainian positions near Novoyehorivka the Defense Forces repelled ten attacks by Russian occupiers Russian occupiers attacked three times near Chasiv Yar and Stupochky seven enemy attacks occurred near Toretsk and Shcherbynivka Ukrainian forces have already repelled two of these The enemy is also actively deploying bomber aircraft the occupiers have made 20 attempts to push Ukrainian defenders from their positions near Myrolyubivka The Defense Forces are holding back the pressure and have repelled 13 enemy attacks The enemy used unguided aviation rockets to strike Oleksandropil and dropped bombs on Mykolayivka the occupiers launched 23 attacks near Stari Terny Fifteen enemy attacks have already been repelled thirteen engagements occur near Kostiantynopil Ukrainian forces have already repelled 12 enemy assaults the occupation forces are shelling Ukrainian government-controlled territory targeting civilian infrastructure and settlements the enemy failed to assault Ukrainian defenders Enemy aviation and artillery continue striking their own territory Ukrainian forces have repelled 11 enemy attacks with combat engagements ongoing in 17 locations Recall that over the past day, from December 14 to 15, the Russian army lost another 1,280 soldiers on the frontlines the Ukrainian Armed Forces destroyed 12 tanks The Russian army has intensified its operations on several fronts, with the situation around Pokrovsk remaining the most intense, according to the operational-strategic group Khortytsia. Russian forces attempted to leverage their numerical advantage and break through Ukrainian defenses near the settlements of Baranivka Some Ukrainian positions were destroyed due to assault operations and intense fire Russian troops attempted to attack Ukrainian positions in Vovchansk but suffered losses and withdrew Russian forces tried to breach Ukrainian defenses near Kindrashivka destroying two infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) and personnel losses Russian forces attacked Ukrainian fortifications near Verkhniokamianske deploying armored vehicles and quad bikes to transport assault groups south of Bilohorivka Ukrainian firepower destroyed one armored vehicle and a quad bike Efforts continue to eliminate the remaining Russian forces fighting continues in the urban areas of Chasiv Yar Russian forces attempted to break through defenses near Vasiukivka using armored vehicles Ukrainian troops destroyed or damaged two tanks Russian attacks were concentrated on Toretsk they attempted to deploy assault groups using vehicles but a preemptive Ukrainian strike destroyed or damaged eight enemy vehicles Russian forces intensified their offensive toward Kostyantynopil they attempted to reinforce their position using dune buggies Ukrainian artillery and drone operators destroyed two and damaged five vehicles Ukrainian defenders continue to hold the line eliminating enemy forces despite being outnumbered Pokrovsk has become Russia’s primary target with daily attempts to breach Ukrainian defenses making it one of the toughest sectors of the frontline According to Viktor Trehubov, Spokesperson for the Khortytsia operational and tactical group of troops, Russian forces have changed their tactics approximately 7,300 civilians remained in Pokrovsk The enemy does not stop trying to advance deep into the territory of Ukraine the enemy has attacked the positions of the Defense Forces 66 times It is most active in the Pokrovsky and Torets directions Operational information as of 16:00 12.03.2025 regarding the Russian invasion was provided by the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Border areas of our country were affected by Russian artillery shelling in particular the settlements of Oleksandrivka Komarivka in Sumy region; Arkhipivka in Chernihiv region The enemy attacked our positions in the Kupyansk direction six times Ukrainian units repelled two attacks near the settlement of Myrne Four clashes were recorded in the Siversky direction and fighting continues to this day in the Verkhnyokamyansky and Ivano-Daryivka areas there have been nine enemy attacks in the Toretsk direction The enemy attacked in the areas of Toretsk The hottest today is in the Pokrovsk direction : since the beginning of the day the invaders have already carried out 27 attacks on the positions of our defenders in the areas of the settlements of Vodyane Druge The enemy's aviation carried out airstrikes with KABs on Pokrovsk and Leontovych the invaders attacked the positions of Ukrainian troops six times near the settlements of Konstantinopol and Burlatske; the Ukrainian defenders repelled all enemy attacks our defenders repelled three enemy attacks in the areas of Pryvilne and Novodarivka The settlements of Novopil and Hulyaipol were hit by airstrikes with unguided missiles are attacking in the Pyatikhatki area and in the direction of Novoandreyevka according to the information available at the moment our defenders repelled one attack by the invaders including eight from multiple rocket launcher systems The most important from online.ua in your mail By staying online, you consent to the use of cookies files which help us make your stay here even better  Based on your browser and language settings you might prefer the English version of our website In one of the villages of the Baranivka territorial community Children have set up a roadblock and are checking drivers' documents This was reported by Novograd-Volynskyy district police department "Children aged from 5 to 11 have made a protective structure in the center of the village and are on duty every day Their shift starts at 09:00 and lasts until the curfew begins Defenders run home for lunch on turn and do not leave their post unattended for a single minute," the report says check documents from adults and ask for a password Little "teroboronivtsi "even made their own "weapons" Citizens passing by stop and meet all the requirements of the inspectors The children themselves say that they made a roadblock in order to protect their homes and native land from strangers.  Law enforcement officers visited the checkpoint У вас нет аккаунта? Создать аккаунт quarantine restrictions were introduced in the Baranivka district center of the Zhytomyr region Quarantine restrictions were imposed in the Baranivka district of Zhytomyr region because of a rabid squirrel that bit a man chairman of the emergency anti-epizootic commission at the Baranovsk regional state administration "A citizen caught a squirrel in the forest and brought it home Yesterday he felt pain in the area of ​​the wound and went to the Baranov hospital According to the results of the expert examination the animal was found to have a rabies virus," Khymych said The commission decided to impose quarantine restrictions on the territory of Baranovka and the territory adjacent to it within a radius of 3 km and approved a comprehensive plan for preventive measures against animal rabies An officer of the Armed Forces of Ukraine demanded monthly "kickbacks" of UAH 40 from his subordinates — State Bureau of Investigation Sociologist Olena Knyazeva: what makes people trust or distrust the authorities in Ukraine A charity sports festival will be held in Odessa "It's important for me to be part of something bigger": fashion stylist Natalia Burova on creativity It is better to freeze eggs for motherhood up to the age of 35 The festival of conceptual photography "Refraction" has started in Odessa Large-scale communication failures in Moscow during parade rehearsal: authorities explained by "security measures" Daniil Gulyaev: "Fashion is a language that can change consciousness" Dental treatment and prosthetics program for the Armed Forces of Ukraine — explanation by the Ministry of Health Israel plans to call up tens of thousands of reservists Phone: +38-093-928-22-37 Email: elitexpert.ua@gmail.com